US Gr3 win for Uncorked

29 Apr 2024

Willow Park graduate Uncorked scored a brilliant win in the Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes (1600m) at Santa Anita on Sunday, joining Babylon Berlin and Pinstriped as 2023/24 stakes winners born and raised on the farm.

 

Uncorked was foaled at Willow Park in 2019, before selling at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $130,000 to the bid of Kestrel Thoroughbreds and Waterhouse Bott Racing. 

 

Racing in the Silverdale Farm colours, Uncorked had nine starts in Australia for a win and two placings. At her first start, she was second in the Max Less Classic at two, by half a length to the future stakes placed filly Russian Conquest (Russian Revolution). She then ran second to future Golden Slipper winner Fireburn at both of their second starts, indicating her ability early on.

 

After winning a maiden at Sale at start seven, Uncorked had two further Australian starts before her export to North America, where she has recorded three more wins (including Sunday's Gr3 win) and a Gr3 placing. 

 

Initially trained by Brittany Russell in Maryland, Uncorked was transferred to the Philip D'Amato stable in California ahead of her first-up run in the Royal Heroine Stakes. She was ridden a treat by the legendary Frankie Dettori, cutting the corner on the home turn and putting a gap on her rivals.

 

Bred by Alan Galbraith, who has kept his Australian-based mares at Willow Park since 2001, Uncorked is by Pierro from the well-related mare Piaf (NZ), who won once at Te Rapa in a five start career. Homebred mare Piaf (Iffraaj) was the penultimate foal from Alan's wonderful mare Arletty (NZ), who counted the Gr2 Villiers Stakes and Gr2 (now Gr1) Queen of the Turf Stakes among her eight wins. 

 

Piaf produced one more foal at Willow Park before returning to New Zealand, where she unfortunately died foaling. Piaf's half-sister, Gr1 producer Axiom (NZ), is a long-time resident of Willow Park and although she is now retired, she has a gorgeous yearling filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) waiting in the wings. Fellow long-time resident mare, black-type producer Exclusive Lass, is another from this evergreen family and she will be offered at the upcoming Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale in foal to Russian Revolution.